Category Archives: RHEAL food

General Nutrition Info, RHEAL food, Uncategorized, Weekly Health Tips

Fuel up for THON 2018!

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With THON quickly approaching, a common questions is “how can I properly prepare for 46 hours of dancing with no sitting and no sleeping? Whether you’re a seasoned THON veteran or new to the whole experience, nobody wants an energy crash mid-THON. This blog post will give you some tips and tricks on healthy eating so that you can Fuel up for THON!

Let’s start out with the basics: your body draws energy from macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein); however, not all fuels are created equally. The body can utilize some macronutrients more efficiently than others. When you eat a carbohydrate, it is broken down into glucose, which is an efficient source of energy for your body. The glucose that your body does not need at the current moment is stored as glycogen. Glycogen is the body’s most easily accessible form of energy during periods of long physical exertion. Once the body runs out of glycogen, it will switch to fats for energy. Fats are not as efficient of a fuel source as glycogen, and the body will take longer to break down fat for energy than it would glycogen. This leads to what is known as a “crash” or “hitting the wall”. If your body is using protein for energy that means you have run your body so low on energy that the body is utilizing your muscle for fuel, which is not good!

So how do we prevent the “crash” from happening? It’s a lot easier than you might think. Eat a well-balanced diet! The goal is to consume a healthy mix of carbohydrates, protein and fat during meals and snacks, which you can do by following your MyPlate basics.  Starting with carbohydrates, there are two types: simple and complex. To help you understand the difference, think of your body as a car. Complex carbs are like premium fuel and simple carbs are the cheap fuel. While it may be tempting to put the cheap fuel into your car, it’s not good for your engine. It’s the same thing with simple carbohydrates. Examples of these would be cookies, refined grains, candy, and chips. While these may be cheaper financially and might give you a short-term boost in energy, overall they aren’t good for you and can cause your body to run less efficiently, which can lead to an energy crash. Complex carbs (the premium gas), are foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are packed with nutrients and fiber that will give your body a longer lasting energy supply. See the graphic below for some examples of complex carbohydrates.

While it’s important to consume healthy carbohydrates, it is also important to get enough protein THON weekend. The recommendation is 0.8g of protein per kg of your body weight. Don’t worry, this equation is not as complicated as it looks. Take your body weight and divide it by 2.2 to get your body weight in kg (or use an online calculator), then multiply this number by 0.8! While the number might look high, getting enough protein is easier than you might think. Instead of immediately running for a protein bar to meet your needs, try to get your protein through foods like poultry, beef, beans, and nuts! All of these options are available in the dining commons. If you do decide to go the protein bar route, be mindful of added sugars. If you decide to go with foods such as beef jerky that are high in sodium, make sure to up your water intake to avoid dehydration!

You might be thinking that it doesn’t matter if you crash because you can just drink some coffee and get the energy you need. This is a common misconception. Your body can only create energy from macronutrients as stated above. Caffeine is not a macronutrient and cannot be used to create energy. It will give your body a temporary illusion of energy followed by, you guessed it, a crash.

Everyone’s diet may look slightly different. The focus of your diet during THON should be an overall healthy diet. Avoid high sugar foods that might tempt you into believing you’ll have more energy after eating them (Dippin’ Dots, candy. Soft drinks). Aim to choose the healthier options available at the BJC, look for hand fruit, salads, and grilled chicken sandwiches. Your body will thank you!

When you’re not at the BJC, make sure to stop by your local Dining Commons. The Dining Commons offer tons of great options to incorporate into your diet. Visit menu.hfs.psu.edu to browse the menus of all five dining commons the week of THON and pick which options fit your needs. This online menu also makes it possible to filter out potential allergens, gluten, or find meatless/vegan options. Stop by and Fuel up for THON!

General Nutrition Info, RHEAL food, Vegetarian/Vegan, Weekly Health Tips

Donating Blood? Be sure to Pump that Iron!

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Thinking about donating blood? Here’s what you need to know about this essential nutrient, iron!

What does Iron do?

Iron is a mineral that binds with oxygen to transport it to organs, tissues and any kind of cell in the body via your Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Our body uses oxygen for many processes, one of the most important of these being the production of energy. Not having enough iron in your body can alter the way your bone marrow produces Red Blood cells. That can make these cells start getting weird shapes, shrink, or even stop producing as many!

Your body needs a minimum intake of Iron to function properly. The following table shows exactly how much, depending on your age and sex:

Age Male Female Pregnancy Lactation
4–8 years 10 mg 10 mg
9–13 years 8 mg 8 mg
14–18 years 11 mg 15 mg 27 mg 10 mg
19–50 years 8 mg 18 mg 27 mg 9 mg
51+ years 8 mg 8 mg

Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board

Dietary Iron comes in two forms, heme and non-heme. In very simple terms, heme iron comes from animals and non-heme iron comes from plants. They are different from each other only in bioavailability, which is just how much iron is available to be absorbed by the body in each source. This is great news for vegetarians because it means that they can still get their iron intake with non-animal sources.

Some great sources of iron are seafood, beef, chicken, fortified cereal, beans, tofu, chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes and many more! All of these options are available in each of our five dining commons.

People that have a mixed diet absorb iron so much better! This is because other vitamins actually enhance the bioavailability of iron, especially Vitamin C. One of the reasons dietitians always recommend a diet full of variety and color!

The flip side to that is that people that have a diet high in calcium actually inhibit iron absorption. Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and eggs. Other foods that inhibit iron absorption are oxalates (like the ones found in tea) and polyphenols (found in coffee). The key is to have these foods in moderation and always try to includes lots of colorful foods in your diet!

A healthy level of iron is essential if you are trying to donate blood. By donating blood, you will be helping to save the lives of thousands who are in the hospital recovering from surgeries and other trauma that causes blood loss. Blood that is donated can also be used in disaster relief, such as those affected by the recent natural disasters in Houston, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Blood donation is an important part of our nation’s hospital structure, as it allows us to maintain a consistent and full supply of blood for whenever it is needed. Having too little iron in your body is a common reason people are unable to donate. If you’re looking to bring up your iron intake, check out these foods that are all good sources of iron. The best part is, all of these foods can be found in the dining commons!

 

Works Cited

Petre, Alina. “21 Vegetarian Foods That Are Loaded With Iron.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 4 May 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/iron-rich-plant-foods.

Mann, Felicity. “Iron.” Why We Need It, How It Affects Our Body and Natural Sources, Alfred Vogel , 7 Sept. 2015, www.avogel.co.uk/food/vitamins-and-minerals/iron/

“Iron-Rich Foods.” American Red Cross, Red Cross, www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods.html.

“Office of Dietary Supplements – Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iron.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 11 Feb. 2016, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/.

 

RHEAL food

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers

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“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where’s the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?”

Peppers have become more than just the star of this tongue-twisting nursery rhyme. They are often incorporated into many dishes ranging from stir-frys to rice to even soups and salads. Peppers are also relatively inexpensive, making them a convenient ingredient to add into any meal.

Bell peppers are often referred to as “sweet peppers” and do not have any heat or spiciness to them, like other types of peppers. Also, the color depends on how long the peppers are left to ripen. Green bell peppers are picked when they aren’t fully ripe, but will turn yellow/orange and then red if left on the vine to mature. Taste-wise, green peppers tend to be a little bitter, whereas red are typically sweeter. 

WHy Peppers

Bell peppers provide a wide variety of nutrients that benefit the body, including at least a days’ worth of Vitamin C and high levels of potassium. These are very important nutrients for normal growth and repair, as well as proper muscle functioning. Red, orange, and yellow varieties also contain beta carotene, an antioxidant that can help boost immunity and protect against certain diseases. Bell peppers are also very low in calories. In fact, 1 cup of sliced peppers generally contains less than 40 calories and is a also great source of fiber, making it a fantastic choice for a midday snack!

Where to add them

As previously stated, peppers can be easily incorporated into your meals. Try a salad for instance; simply cut up one of the many varieties of bell peppers and add it to your greens. Peppers can also be added into sandwiches or omelets for an extra-satisfying crunch. You can also use the whole pepper as a base for creating your own delicious meal! Simply slice off the top of the pepper including the stem, remove the ribs and seeds, stuff with a mixture of meat, or beans and rice and bake in the oven. Brush up on those knife skills and check out this tutorial on how to cut a pepper with ease:

 

For those of you who dine on campus, sliced pepper strips can often be found at the salad bar or deli station for you to readily add to your meals. Another great tip is to pair sliced bell peppers strips with different kinds of dips, in place of chips or crackers. Ranch dressing is often a go-to choice for dipping, but there are plenty of other options for you to choose from. Try hummus, guacamole, salsa or even plain Greek yogurt.

Regardless of how you enjoy them, bell peppers can be an effortless addition to meals and snacks and a great way to increase your daily servings of vegetables. Remember, the Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Varying your vegetable intake by color will also help to provide many different types of essential vitamins and minerals.

Consider these tips and try adding bell peppers into your next meal on campus! 

Resources:

Video: Adapted from Yummy Youtube Channel

“Peppers: Sweet Green, Yellow or Red.” Nutrition Links. Penn State Extension. http://extension.psu.edu/health/nutrition-links/pennsylvania-produce/produce-buying-guide/peppers-sweet-green-yellow-or-red  2016. Web. 18 February 2015

“Bell Peppers.” SNAP-Ed Connection. USDA. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/nutrition-through-seasons/seasonal-produce/bell-peppers.

“What Are Health Benefits of Bell Peppers?”  LIVESTRONG.COM, 18 Dec. 2013. Web. 28 May 2015.

Photo Adapted from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakleyoriginals/

RHEAL food, Uncategorized

Jack and the Black Bean Stalk

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You are probably familiar with the tale of Jack and the bean stalk; a young boy who disobeyed his mother quite often and looked for intense adventures. Well, the beans in the story were not exactly black beans, but if they had been, Jack would have grown up to be a strong young man with a healthy heart and enhanced brain function, although that would not have made for an exciting story.

 
Many tips on healthy eating recommend to stay on the perimeter of any supermarket because3948070058_9b80455b57_z that’s where more of the nutrient-dense foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy, are found. However, if you only follow this tip, you might miss out on some staple, healthy items such as whole grain breads, pastas, cereals and, you guessed it, beans!

Incorporating beans into your diet will not only improve satiety levels, but beans are also adequate sources of Calcium, Iron, Potassium and Magnesium. These minerals help to improve nervous system functioning, enhance brain function and maintain bone structure and strength.

Beans can be one of the easiest foods to add to the diet, and yet, people tend to forget all about them. Beans offer an entire days’ worth of fiber and are an excellent source of carbohydrate and protein. They can be added and substituted in many dishes to create a delicious, well-balanced meal. Although beans are high in protein, the type of protein is termed incomplete because it lacks one or more of the essential amino acids that the body needs. These essential amino acids play an important role in building and repairing muscle tissue, but the body cannot make them on it’s own so we must get them from the food we eat. Animal proteins, such as chicken, beef and fish, are all considered complete proteins because they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids that the body needs. 

The good news is, by simply pairing beans with another incomplete protein, such as rice, you can actually create a complete protein. A meal of rice and beans will also supply you with a good amount of fiber, which will increase satiety and keep you fuller, longer.  Not to mention, beans are one of the least expensive sources of protein and a fantastic alternative for anyone following a meatless diet.

Black beannss

Black beans have been incorporated into many dishes found in campus dining locations.  This variety ranges from soups to salads to even adding it as a side. Be on the lookout this week for featured black bean recipes such as the Black Bean and Butternut Squash stew, Quinoa Enchiladas, Black Bean Burger and Cuban Black Beans and Rice. You may even find them on the salad bar! Remember: adding black beans to your diet will present you with many more health benefits than you could have dreamed of. Beans have so much more to offer than that silly little song stated: “Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you…”

 

 
Resources:
Taub-Dix, Bonnie “11 Health Benefits Of Beans.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Aug. 2012. Web. 28 May 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/beans-health-benefits_n_1792504.html
Photo Adapted from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjudge/
Photo adapted from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajbombers/